In recognition of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month, this week we are highlighting “safe sleep” tips for babies. We know that all parents want to do everything they can to keep their babies safe, and it can be scary and overwhelming hearing about tragic events like SIDS. There are simple actions you and others can take to help your baby sleep safely and to reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death. Here are a few safety tips for your infant. An easy way to remember these tips are to use the ABC acronym: Alone, on the Back, and in their Crib.
Place the baby on its back to sleep. When putting a baby down for all sleep times – naps and bedtime, always place them on their backs. This reduces the risk of baby suffocating and SIDS.
Use a firm and flat mattress to sleep. Baby’s are safe to sleep in a crib, bassinet, portable cribs like a pack-n-play, or play yard that follows the safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Avoid soft or loose bedding. Babies should be put down without blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals in their sleep space. Nothing else should be in the crib except for the baby.
Share your room with the baby. Keep the baby close to your bed but on a separate surface, for example, in their own crib or bassinet. Baby should share a room with you for at least the first 6 months, ideally up to 1 year.
According to the CDC, there are about 3,500 sleep-related deaths among US babies each year. In 2019, 21 children under the age of 5 in the Tampa Bay region died from unsafe sleep.
Champions is committed to Safe Baby training for our employees. Ernesto Sierra and Lisa Elliot are certified Safe Baby instructions at Champions. Check out the below video featuring three fathers who are advocates of Safe Sleep and keeping their children safe. This video is a resource used in Ernesto and Lisa’s training classes.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F194I4a5CLk[/embedyt]
Links to Resources: